Simon Gagné to replace Patrick Roy as Remparts GM

Last year, Jacques Tanguay and Patrick Roy brought in Simon Gagné as assistant to the coach, i.e. Roy. The goal was openly announced: to see him become coach a year later.

At the time, the plan was for Tanguay to remain as president and Roy as GM, but to relinquish his position as pilot. He wanted to take advantage of the year to “train” Gagné, a former NHL star and Remparts alumnus.

But as you know, the Memorial Cup changed all that. Roy chose to leave, and Tanguay also started thinking about it a few weeks ago, leading to his departure.

There were rumours, under such conditions, that Gagné wasn’t necessarily going to want to become coach, since two big pieces had left. There was a feeling that the matter was nebulous – publicly, at least.

In any case, it’s up to the GM to find his man, isn’t it?

Well, finally, the nebulous aspect of the dossier has been clarified: Simon Gagné will be presented to the Quebec City press at 2 p.m. as the team’s new GM. That’s according to Kevin Dubé of the Journal de Québec.

Instead of being the coach, he’ll be in charge of finding the team’s next coach. He’ll also be in charge of leading the inevitable rebuilding that awaits the club. It must be more fun to rebuild as GM than as coach, right?

The Remparts will present it this afternoon, but all indications are that a coach will not be named today.

I have a feeling that if he were to take on the coaching job as well, it would have been done at the same time. This leads me to believe that Patrick Roy’s position will be taken on by two men. And that’s fine.

Does this mean that Gagné sees himself more as a leader than a pilot in the future? Does he aspire to the NHL? We don’t know.

In an ideal world, it takes a big name to replace Roy. That’s no easy task, given that the NHL legend, whose name isn’t exactly being bandied about for a return to the Bettman circuit, is a monument in Quebec City.

But clearly, I imagine Gagné knows he’s just a phone call away from his mentor’s advice.

Extension

The question now is who will coach the Remparts next season? The names Serge Beausoleil and Louis Robitaille are natural.

Will another candidate stand out? Surely, yes.